Chair



July 7, 1942. w. A. MOELLER CHAIR Filed Dec. 20, 1939 Anon/5x Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIR William A. Moeller, Los Angeles, Calif assignor to Los Angeles Spring Bed Company, Lo s Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Ohio Application December 20, 1939, Serial No. 310,151

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to chairs and similar rest conveniences where comfort in conjunction with safe and sturdy construction is one of the prime objects.

Another object is the provision of a reclining type of chair which can be adjusted to various positions by simply shifting the weight of the occupants body. I

A further object is the presentation of an attractive rocker and portable chair which is very economical to manufacture and is constructed in a manner to avoid pinching the occupants hands should they wander into the moving parts of the chair.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined. detailed description, the preamble of these specifications and the appended claims.

Applicant is about to illustrate and describe one of the forms of his invention in order to teach one how to make, use and vend the same, but it is to be understood that the drawing and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by the appendedclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the invention in perspective view.

Fig. 2 shows a side-elevation with parts removed.

Fig.3 shows a section substantially along the line 33of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a detail.

Fig, 5 shows a collection of parts.

Numerals l and 2 represent floor riders or base elements of the chair along the bottom thereof which provide the supporting means for the entire chair. The chair has front upstanding legs 3 and 4 which have their lower ends pivoted to the forward end of the riders l and 2, respectively. The ends of the legs t and 4 and the ends of riders l and 2 are joined by the pivot pins 8 and 9 which may be rivets, bolts and the like. A horizontal spacer bar 5 is rigidly attached to the front legs and braced thereto by the corner straps 6 and l. The far rear ends of the riders l and! are provided with the casters Ill and II respectively sothat the chair can be rolled from place to place when the front end is raised. To provide rigid spacing at the rear of the riders I and 2, a bar 5' has its ends firmly fixed to the riders 'as shown, corner braces being used in theconventional manner to aid the rigidity of the frame formed by the riders and bars 5 and 5'. All parts, except braces, are preferably angle irons.

On each side of the chair are the cross members l2 and I3. The member I2 is a metal bar whereas the member l3'is an angle iron. The lower end of the member I2 is pivoted at [4 to a bracket l4 extending upwardly from the floor rider. The other end of the member 12 being pivoted at l5 to the bracket [6 which is firmly fixed to a U-shaped angle iron seat frame ll as shown. This frame ll has its legs along the sides of the chair and its leg joining member [8 at the back of the chair. The other cross-member I3 is pivoted at IE! to an upstanding bracket 20 which is firmly 'fixedto the floor rider as shown. The other end of the member [3 is pivoted at 2| to a bracket 22 which extends downwardly from the rear part of the side leg of the U-frame ll. The other side of the chair has its cross-members l2 and 13' arranged in the same manner as the' ones just described. To give strength to the base structure and stiffen the lower extremities of the angle iron l3 and 13, a cross strut of angle iron I3 is provided having its ends fixed to the members l3 and I3 by rivets or welding.

The ends of the U-frame ll, on each side of the chair, have pivoted thereto, at'23, the ends of another U-frame 24 which is of angle iron construction. This U-frame also has side legs and a front joining piece 25. The U-frame 24 is provided with springs or any other suitable means for supporting the cushion 26, and the U-frame I! is also provided with suitable means, such as springs, for supporting the cushion 27. At the lower end of U-frame 24, and on each side thereof, is a bracket 24"provided with a pivot pin 24" which passes through the top of the front leg 3; a similar bracket and pin being provided for the front leg 4.

On each side leg of the U-frame I? is a. bracket 28 firmly fixed thereto having means to which is attached the extreme endsof side legs of another U-frame 30 which extends upwardly from the chair to form the back frame which is arranged for receiving the cushion 3!. Springs may be used for supporting the cushion 3| between the legs of the frame 33. The side arm 32 of the chair is provided, near one end thereof, with a, rivet 33 which joins the arm to its adjacent leg of the U-frame 30. The lower end of the arm is attached to the seat U-frame ll by a rivet 34. All the U-frames may be provided with spacer rods between their respective legs should further. strengthening of them be desired.

the top 35 from rotating, In order to adjust the top to the proper angle to suit the occupant, I

the wing nut 38 need only be loosened.

The members i2 and I3 on each-side of the chair are provided with a sliding unit consisting of a rectangular plate 40 having corner holes 4!, and 42 as clearly shown in Fig. 5, a slide bar 43 having holes 44 and 45, and another similar slide bar 45 having the holes 41 and 48. The angle iron member l3 has an elongated slot l9, shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, through which passes the reduced end 511 or of a rod 5!. This rod 5! extends from one side of the chair to the other,

the ends thereof passing through the slots 49 and 49 of the angle iron members l3 and I3 respectively, as well as through the holes 4! of the sliding plates 40 and 45 and also through holes it and 47 of the bars 43 and 45'. The elements it, 43, I3, 46 and a washer 53 being arranged as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The other end of the rod 5| is similarly arranged but'in the reverse order.

Rivets 54 and 54' are provided, as shown, on each side of the chair. The rivets pass through the holes 48 and 48 of the bars 45 and 45' respectively, and the heads thereof are pressed into the holes tightly so that the stems 55 and 55"are rigidly held in the positions shown. The stem 55 passes through the slot of angle iron i3, hole 45 of bar 43 and hole 42 of plate 40. otherside of the chair, a similar assembly is made. 5

The reduced ends 50 and 5t of the rod5l and the stems of the rivets 54 and 54' extend far enough beyond the outer face of their adjacent plates 40 and 45' respectively, so as to accommodate their respective bars I? and 12 in the manner shown.

By this construction, the chair is free to rotate upon the pivots 8, l4, l5, [9, 2| and 24" on each side of the chair. Any rotation at the pivot points causing the plates 45 and 45 as well as its associate parts to slide along their respective angle irons l3 and Hi; the extent of this movement depending upon the lengths of the slots 49 and 49, within certain limits. The brackets and plates are designed to prevent pinching of a persons fingers while using the chair. The movement of the plate 46 in either direction will push a person's fingers away from the scissor-like action of the members 12 and I 3. The brackets Id, 25, 22 etc. have their pivots spaced far enough from their bracket supports, that a persons fingers would not become caught by the support and the moving member.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a chair unit having a sub-structure and a super-structure, the sub-structure having spaced apart parallel base elements and the super-structure including a seat with side elements, a set of cross members on each side of the chair unit pivoted to their respective base elements and their respective side elements of the seat, the

On the inner member of each set of cross members having an elongated slot, a sliding plate between each set of said cross members, a rod having its ends passing through the slots and attached to said plates, guide stems attached to each plate and engaging the elongated edges of the outer cross members so that when the seat of the chair unit is rocked, the rod will freely ride in the slots and the stems of the plate freely ride along the elongated edges of the outer members.

2. In a chair and the like having a front and rear, a sub-structure and a super-structure, su-

per-structure supporting means intermediate said structures allowing the super-structure to rock with respect to the sub-structure, said means including cross-member units on each side of the chair which are the sole support for the rear of the super-structure, said sub-structure including a plurality of parallel horizontal members, bar means at the forward end of the chair for pivotally supporting the super-structure upon said horizontal members, each of said units having one cross-member slotted, rod means extending from unit to unit and through the slots, plate means attached to each end of said rod means and provided with means slidably'engaging the unslotted cross member of each unit.

3. A chair unit having spaced apart parallel base elements and a seat element, inner andouter crossed members on each side of the chair pivotly attached to the base and seat elements and supporting the seat element above the base elements, an elongated slot in-each inner member,

a slide bar on each side of each inner member 7 and adjacent the slot therein, a plate at each side of the chair unit between the outer member and one of the slide bars, a rod beneath the seat having its ends passing through the 'slotsQslide bars and plates, and extending beyond the plates to engage and slide along one edge of the outer members, a stem on each side of the chairunit passing through its respective slide bars, slot and plate, and extending beyond the plate to engage and slide along opposite edge of the outer member for the purposes described.

4. In a chair and the like having a base and a seat, a set of cross-members oneach side of the chair having the upper ends of the memberspivoted to the seat and their lower ends pivoted to the base, means for connecting the cross members of each set and allowing the cross members to slide at an angle to one another, one member of each set having an elongated slot, a travelling bar having one end in the slot'of one setan'd its other end in the slot of the other set, a sliding plate between the cross members of each set'and attached to the ends'of the travelling bar, said plates having guide stems engaging the edges of the non-slotted member of each set;

5. In a chair and the like'having a base and a seat, a set of cross-members on each s'ideof the chair, said cross members of each set having their upper ends pivoted to the seat and their lower ends pivoted to the base, one member of each set having an elongated slot parallel tothe length thereof, means in each setintermediate the ends of the cross members thereof forcontrolling their relative movement, said means including a slide bar along each side of the slotted member and a plate intermediateone of the bars and the other member, spaced apart studs passing through holes in the bars and plate,-through the slot and snugly engaging the 'edges of -the other members i I 1 j 6. In a chair and the like having a base of parallel spaced apart horizontal members and a seat with a forward extension, means on each side of the chair for supporting the seat in spaced relation to the base, said means including a cross member unit comprising a bar and a strut, the top ends of the bar and strut having pivot connection with the seat and the bottom ends of the bar and strut having pivot connection with said members, a slot in the bar, and travelling means guided by the slot engaging said strut and controlling its movement, said travelling means comprising a plurality of flat bars and a flat plate having a pair of studs extending therethrough and through said slot.

'7. In a chair and the like having a base of parallel spaced apart horizontal members and a seat with a forward extension, means on each side of the chair for supporting the seat in spaced relation to the base, said means including a cross member unit comprising a bar and a strut, the top ends of the bar and strut having pivot connection with the seat and the bottom ends of the bar and strut having pivot connection with said members, a slot in the bar, and travelling means guided by the slot engaging said strut and control- 10 ling its movement, said travelling means comprising a plurality of fiat bars and a flat plate having a pair of studs extending therethrough and through said slot, said studs extending beyond the outer surface of the plate and engaging l5 opposite edges of the strut.

WILLIAM A. MOELLER. 

